A Simple Note-Taking System Every Founder Should Use

As a founder, you make decisions, juggle priorities, and drive your vision forward daily. If you try to hold everything in your head, it is only a matter of time before things start slipping.

You don’t need a complicated system. Simple productivity systems help you capture, process, and act on what matters.

Want help building simple, powerful systems for your business? Schedule a Discovery Call and we’ll help you design one.

The Problem: Most Note-Taking Systems Overcomplicate the Process

There are common issues with how founders organize notes.

They chase the perfect app or template
They waste time organizing instead of capturing
They get stuck trying to format before thinking

The result? Missed ideas, mental clutter, and lost momentum.

You don’t need a perfect system. Simple productivity systems capture ideas and move them into action.

Best Note-Taking Method for Entrepreneurs: One Tool, Total Focus

I use a simple pocket notebook for 90% of my note-taking.

I find the best note-taking method for entrepreneurs is Field Notes or a basic spiral-bound Twan notebook (inspired by Sam Altman). It is rough, quick, and built for action.

Everything goes into it:

Ideas
Tasks
Quick drafts
Reminders
Meeting notes

No formatting. No overthinking. Capture first, organize later.

Key Founder Productivity Tips

1. Don’t Take Notes When You Can Record

Thanks to AI, there is a better way to capture conversations.

I run transcripts on every sales call, demo, and internal meeting using AI tools.
You should always have an LLM (large language model) “in the room” with you to keep your notebook focused on decisions and actions, not on trying to capture every word.